Dallas' hope to someday see three soaring white bridges span the Trinity River has had its share of setbacks, delays and criticism.

But today, in a 10-2 vote, the Dallas City Council ensured that the city will get at least two of the three bridges it once promised voters.

The council accepted a $5 million gift from the Trinity Trust Foundation to help cover substantial cost over-runs on a Calatrava-designed bicycle and pedestrian bridges alongside the Interstate 30 bridge that will rebuilt by the state.

"It’s important to recap what has happened today. Another act in our vision for the Trinity River is coming to pass. This has been something we all have been working on for the past two decades," Mayor Mike Rawlings said.

But even as most council members cheered the plan, others sounded concern about the city's decision to, once more, fund a pricey piece of architectural glitz over the river. Council members Angela Hunt and Scott Griggs both voted against the plan.

Cost over-runs - a common theme for the Calatrava bridge projects - cost the city not only dollars for the project in question but counts against other possible projects, Griggs said.

The price over-runs on the project means "we aren't keeping the costs under control," Griggs said.

Council member Delia Jasso noted that that entire bridge reconstruction project is $20 million under budget. The entire project includes not only the reconstruction of the I-30 bridge but also the Interstate-35 bridge. The cost to rebuild both came in at $798 million, or $20 million less than TxDOT originally estimated.

But the contractor specifically cited the Calatrava portion - which was let as a separate bid item - as running over initial estimates.

The price of the $102 million Calatrava bridge elements, along with $12 million in frontage roads, are largely covered by federal funds of $91.3 million. Funding from the Regional Transportation Council will cover another $11.6 million. The remaining $12 million in costs comes from donations including the $5 million accepted today, city arts funding of $1.9 million and savings in the engineering of the bridge of around $4 million.

Any additional over-runs must be borne by city taxpayers if a donor or donors doesn't step forward to bear the cost.

Griggs also questioned the maintenance for the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, which opened last year, and the Margaret McDermott Bridge planned along Interstate-30.

The Hunt Hill bridge sets the city back $250,000 a year. The new bridge will cost $450,000. Taken together, they account for 1 percent of the city's street budget, he said.

Despite those concerns, several council members recalled the excitement that the Hunt Hill Bridge generated when it opened and linked the Woodall Rodger Freeway to West Dallas.

That bridge was criticized as well for its cost. It also spurred questions about whether Dallas was paying too much for a brand name design and living up to its reputation for putting style over substance.

Since its opening, however, the Hunt Hill Bridge appears to have become a welcome part of the city skyline, even if it's too early to say whether it can deliver on its promise to bring a flood of new development into West Dallas.

"Calatrava is a Rolex watch among Seikos. The Seikos keep time just as well, and can be quite handsome, but the Rolex has snob appeal. Dallas loves snob appeal, especially with a foreign accent," he wrote.

"Providing these arches will enhance the lives of everyone driving this bridge," he said.

COST OF I-30 CALATRAVA BRIDGES BROKEN DOWN:

$798 million - Total cost of the Horseshoe project to reconstruct the Interstate 30 and Interstate 35 bridges over the Trinity River, including the Santiago Calatrava-designed bicycle and pedestrian bridges alongside I-30.